Leadership Style Survey*

Directions

This questionnaire contains statements about leadership style beliefs.
Next to each statement, circle the number that represents how strongly
you feel about the statement by using the following scoring system:

Almost Always True - 5

Frequently True - 4

Occasionally True - 3

Seldom True - 2

Almost Never True - 1

Be honest about your choices as there are no right or
wrong answers - it is only for your own self-assessment.

Leadership Style Survey

Almost Always
True

Frequently True

Occasionally True

Seldom True

Almost Never True

1.

I always retain the final decision making authority
within my department or team.

5

4

3

2

1

2.

I always try to include one or more employees in
determining what to do and how to do it. However, I
maintain the final decision making authority.

5

4

3

2

1

3.

I and my employees always vote whenever a major
decision has to be made.

5

4

3

2

1

4.

I do not consider suggestions made by my employees as I
do not have the time for them.

5

4

3

2

1

5.

I ask for employee ideas and input on upcoming plans
and projects.

5

4

3

2

1

6.

For a major decision to pass in my department, it must
have the approval of each individual or the majority.

5

4

3

2

1

7.

I tell my employees what has to be done and how to do
it.

5

4

3

2

1

8.

When things go wrong and I need to create a strategy to
keep a project or process running on schedule, I call a
meeting to get my employee's advice.

5

4

3

2

1

9.

To get information out, I send it by email, memos, or
voice mail; very rarely is a meeting called. My employees
are then expected to act upon the information.

5

4

3

2

1

10.

When someone makes a mistake, I tell them not to ever
do that again and make a note of it.

5

4

3

2

1

11.

I want to create an environment where the employees
take ownership of the project. I allow them to participate
in the decision making process.

5

4

3

2

1

12.

I allow my employees to determine what needs to be done
and how to do it.

5

4

3

2

1

13.

New hires are not allowed to make any decisions unless
it is approved by me first.

5

4

3

2

1

14.

I ask employees for their vision of where they see
their jobs going and then use their vision where
appropriate.

5

4

3

2

1

15.

My workers know more about their jobs than me, so I
allow them to carry out the decisions to do their job.

5

4

3

2

1

16.

When something goes wrong, I tell my employees that a
procedure is not working correctly and I establish a new
one.

5

4

3

2

1

17.

I allow my employees to set priorities with my
guidance.

5

4

3

2

1

18.

I delegate tasks in order to implement a new procedure
or process.

5

4

3

2

1

19.

I closely monitor my employees to ensure they are
performing correctly.

5

4

3

2

1

20.

When there are differences in role expectations, I work
with them to resolve the differences.

5

4

3

2

1

21.

Each individual is responsible for defining their job.

5

4

3

2

1

22.

I like the power that my leadership position holds over
subordinates.

5

4

3

2

1

23.

I like to use my leadership power to help subordinates
grow.

5

4

3

2

1

24.

I like to share my leadership power with my
subordinates.

5

4

3

2

1

25.

Employees must be directed or threatened with
punishment in order to get them to achieve the
organizational objectives.

5

4

3

2

1

26.

Employees will exercise self-direction if they are
committed to the objectives.

5

4

3

2

1

27.

Employees have the right to determine their own
organizational objectives.

5

4

3

2

1

28.

Employees seek mainly security.

5

4

3

2

1

29.

Employees know how to use creativity and ingenuity to
solve organizational problems.

5

4

3

2

1

30.

My employees can lead themselves just as well as I can.

5

4

3

2

1

In the fill-in lines below, mark the score of each
item on the questionnaire. For example, if you scored item one with
a 3 (Occasionally), then enter a 3 next to Item One. When you have
entered all the scores for each question, total each of the three
columns.

Item

Score

Item

Score

Item

Score

1

______

2

______

3

______

4

______

5

______

6

______

7

______

8

______

9

______

10

______

11

______

12

______

13

______

14

______

15

______

16

______

17

______

18

______

19

______

20

______

21

______

22

______

23

______

24

______

25

______

26

______

27

______

28

______

29

______

30

______

TOTAL

_______

TOTAL

________

TOTAL

________

Authoritarian
Style

Participative
Style

Delegative
Style

(autocratic)

(democratic)

(free reign)

This questionnaire is to help you assess what leadership style
you normally operate out of. The lowest score possible for a stage
is 10 (Almost never) while the highest score possible for a stage is
50 (Almost always).

The highest of the three scores indicates what style of
leadership you normally use. If your highest score is 40 or more, it
is a strong indicator of your normal style.

The lowest of the three scores is an indicator of the style you
least use. If your lowest score is 20 or less, it is a strong
indicator that you normally do not operate out of this mode.

If two of the scores are close to the same, you might be going
through a transition phase, either personally or at work, except:

If you score high in both the participative and the delegative
then you are probably a delegative leader.

If there is only a small difference between the three scores, then
this indicates that you have no clear perception of the mode you
operate out of, or you are a new leader and are trying to feel out
the correct style for you.

Final Thoughts

Normally, some of the best leaders operate out of the participative
mode and use the other two modes as needed. An example of an
exception would be a leader who has a new crew or temporary
work-force. That leader would probably need to operating out of the
authoritarian mode most of the time. On the other hand, a leader who
has a crew of professionals or a crew that knows more than she or he
does, would probably operate out of the delegative mode.

Leaders who want their employees to grow, use a participative
style of leadership. As they "grow" into their jobs, then
they are gradually given more authority (delegative) over their
jobs.

Reliability and Validity

Since this survey is a training tool, it has not been formally
checked for reliability or validity. However, since I have had a lot
of feedback from various training classes, other trainers, and various
sources, I feel that it is fairly accurate.

If I did a formal reliability and validity analysis, I would
probably have to charge for it.